


Blinds

by daynight



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Gen, M/M, Neighbors, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 06:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3280001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daynight/pseuds/daynight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Climbing into your friends apartment through the window seemed like a good idea. Until it transpires that it's not actually your friends apartment. Now it's a great idea. Thanks, fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blinds

**Author's Note:**

> Don't own characters, no offence meant, based on TV interpretations not real guys.

So drunk. So so drunk. The kind of drunk that keeps spinning behind eyes when they slip closed and keeps you laughing foolishly at every little thing, incredibly stupid schemes suddenly becoming extremely appealing.  One such stupid scheme was currently in play as Babe Heffron began to shimmy up the drainpipe on the side of Bill’s apartment, sniggering all the while. Clinging like a lemur, he stopped to consider briefly what convoluted turn of events had led to his current state, halfway up a building like an inebriated Spiderman.

 Bill had left him in the bar opposite his place, friendless, to take some chick home. Not really a way to treat your guests, specifically one of your oldest and best friends from back in Philly. Well he did say that he would be back in 30 minutes, an hour tops (with a leering wink) and that Babe should stay put (in fact now Babe remembered it he may have even insisted, emphasising that Babe should NOT do anything idiotic, should NOT leave the bar until Bill returned, should NOT go off with someone and should NOT accept any more free drinks goddamnit!) but Babe could never claim to be a patient man. He had stayed for a little, sure, making some new buddies among the bars patrons, maybe accepting some more drinks because hey, he was a friendly guy and it’s not every day that his fake I.D. was so readily accepted. Then he’d gotten bored and thought that interrupting Bill with his new ‘friend’ would be really, really fucking funny.

It was still fucking funny, he thought, crawling up the side of the building. He finally got to Bill’s window and manoeuvred his way to the ledge.  Luckily it was open a crack due to the hot Louisiana night. Barely containing his laughter in anticipation of his latest prank, he wrenched it open wide enough for a skinny guy like himself to slip through and began to inelegantly squeeze into the living room of Bill’s place.

A huge, noisy crash. Blinds. He was not expecting blinds. His foot was stuck up in them as he sprawled out on the floor in a heap, shaking with laughter on the hard wood floor. Bill would definitely know he was there now, sure to come tearing out of his room half clothed, yelling that Babe was the most annoying little shit he ever had the misfortune of meeting.

However, Bill did not come. Feeling a little cheated, Babe dragged his face up from the floor. He looked out onto an entirely unfamiliar kitchen area. Surely he wasn’t so drunk he had forgotten what Bill’s place even looked like? No, no, that wasn’t it. There was a guy, sat at a little table, drinking coffee and eating a bowl of cereal. He was looking at Babe with a sort of vague amusement.  He certainly didn’t look like one of Bill’s supposedly absent roommates and he wasn’t the kind of person Babe would easily forget, looks wise. After a beat of silent staring, the guy went back to shovelling his cereal.

“I think you’ve got the wrong apartment.”

Unable to do anything but grunt in agreement and resigned to the embarrassment of the situation, Babe promptly fell asleep on the floor.

 

* * *

 

 

A couple of hours later he awoke to find himself on a couch, wrapped rather severely in a large blanket. His head felt like it was splitting open. “Ow. Shit” He whispered, gingerly removing one of his hands from the blanket origami to knead at his forehead.

“Y’alright?”  Babe blinked drowsily upwards, reactions slower than sludge. The guy from the table was now standing over him, his brow wrinkled in concern. He had deep circles under his eyes, spiky black hair and paler skin than Babe had ever seen, even up in Philadelphia. The end of his nose was tinted slightly red. In Babe’s sleepy state he reminded him of a rabbit. He was wearing an all sea-blue coloured outfit, which at first seemed kind of a weird coordination until Babe realised that they were scrubs. Thrown, Babe made a sort of sound with his mouth that wasn’t really a word. The guy’s face softened slightly.

“You must have some hangover. Here, take these and drink this.” He handed Babe two aspirins and a big glass of water. He had a really nice voice, a very deep accent that Babe only just identified from his one night in the bar. A soft Louisiana drawl. Babe accepted the water and aspirins gratefully, gulping both down as the guy cocked an eyebrow.

“Thanks.” The guy stepped back and held up his palms in a universal sign to sober people and drunkards alike for ‘no problem’. He began to move away, apparently completely okay with a bleary teenaged stranger chilling on his couch, like he was fully used to odd occurrences and didn’t let them faze him. Maybe being from Baton Rouge got you accustomed to weird shit, or maybe he was just that kind of guy, Babe couldn’t be sure. He was leaning towards the latter. “Hey!” He said to the figure, now busying himself in the kitchen.

“Yuh?” The guy turned around and looked at him expectantly. Babe tried to sit up a bit and regain at least a thread of dignity.

“Uh, where am I? I mean, I thought this was Bill’s apartment, but I guess – “

“He’s my next door neighbour.”

Babe cursed his stupidity. Just one window along and he could have avoided looking like a total ass in front of this guy.

“Ah shit, he’s probably really worried about – “

“I already spoke to him, told him you just needed to nap a bit then I’d get you over there before my shift.”

Babe wondered how he had figured that he was somehow connected to Bill. It wasn’t like he had ‘if lost, please return to Bill Guarnere’ embroidered in all of his shirts, although all things considered he probably should. Maybe it was his heavy Philadelphia accent, but he didn’t remember saying anything (he could have talked in his sleep, which would be even more mortifying). He felt sheepish.

“I’m really sorry about this. I’ll go now. Really sorry for bothering you, man, I can be a real idiot sometimes.”

The guy offered him a very small smile and shrugged.

“It’s okay. You probably shouldn’t drink so much.”

Babe tittered foolishly. “Yeah…” He got up awkwardly, locating his shoes, which must have been carefully removed, and began to tread towards the door. Realising he was forgetting his manners (his ma would be very unimpressed) he whirled around in a way that made his head spin all over again.

“Call me Babe.” He put out his hand to the guy whose place he had inadvertently invaded.

The guys nose wrinkled slightly in confusion and apprehensively shook his hand.

“Babe? That’s kinda…”

“Yeah, Babe.” Suddenly flushing with realisation, he rushed to explain himself. “I mean, it’s my nickname. Everyone calls me Babe. Not just…yeah. Haha.”  Babe decided to forcibly seal his mouth after rambling. His mind was all over the place and he wasn’t making any sense, head fuzzy. He really had embarrassed himself in front of this guy beyond repair and his clumsy attempts at seeming like a normal human being weren’t helping. The guy smiled another tiny little smile.

“I’m Eugene Roe.” Babe felt some pressure on his palm and yelped, flushing even darker and dropping the hand he had forgotten to let go of like it was a hot coal. Where the fuck were his social skills? Was hung-over Babe determined on destroying what was left of his fragile dignity? This guy must think he was the biggest, most incoherent mess he ever saw.

“Shit! Well, thanks again Eugene! I’m just…gonna go!” He hustled out of the door and over to Bill’s, hollering thanks/apologies as Eugene’s door thankfully swung shut and he could slap himself unobserved in the head for acting like such a weirdo.

 

* * *

 

 

Bill was very grumpy with him when he was finally allowed back into the correct apartment, arms crossed and scowling as Babe ate his left over pizza.

“I told you not to fuckin’ move! Jeez, when will you listen to me? Like the kid brother I never fucking wanted.”

“What? What are you so pissed about? I didn’t disturb you!”

“Nah, but Doc knockin’ on my door in the middle of the night askin’ if a certain drunk ginger kid stuck in his blinds belonged to me certainly did!”

“Ah shit.” Babe buried his burning face into Bill’s duvet. “Do you think he was really mad?”

“So you care more about him being mad than me?” Babe peaked up out of the duvet and grinned sweetly.

“Bill, you can’t ever stay mad at me. You know I’m too damn cute. ” Bill’s scowl broke into a sideways smile which he quickly corrected.

“Nah, you’re a skinny little shit. C’mon, move over.” Bill settled down onto his bed next to Babe. “I doubt you disturbed him, he don’t really sleep at night, at least according to Spina. All he said was that you owe him for the blinds.”

“Huh. Okay.” Babe flipped onto his back and put his hands behind his head.

“Shoulda known you were gonna get yourself in trouble on your first night in Louisiana. Apple don’t fall too far from the tree. At least I got to spend half an hour with that girl before you ruined it.”

Babe snorted immaturely.

“That’s all you needed, right?” Bill laughed but rolled his eyes and nudged him.

“What you tryin’ to say? Don’t rib me unless you want all the boys in Louisiana to know about you and Doris, not just all the boys in Philly.” Babe groaned out an extended ‘nooooooo’ in reply as Bill also turned on his back, head knocking into Babe’s. “Nah, it aint’ like that. We’re meeting again later this week after you’ve left so you can’t cause anymore problems.”

“Hey, that’s good.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you.” They heard a loud cacophony of shouting and different clashing; grating accents flowed through the walls into Bill’s room. Bill offered up a wide smile. “Sounds like the boys are back. Let’s go say hi, yeah? Tell ‘em how you just managed to survive your first night.”

 

* * *

 

 

Bill’s roommates were a loud and jovial lot. Most of them were on the football team with Bill, so they had an easy camaraderie that Babe quickly fell in with, letting Bill’s esteem in him bolster his confidence, despite still being in high school and only visiting the University of Louisiana for a short trip. They were just like most of the friends that Babe had back at home, funny, brash but respectful of Bill and they treated Babe just like the little brother that he kind of was to Bill, having grown up in the same neighbourhood.

 There was Joe Toye, a sarcastic guy with a weird thing for brass knuckles who had apparently insisted on playing one recent game despite having been injured, a much admired action. He had the room next to Bill’s and was the first to introduce himself. Don Malarkey, a chatty ginger, had the next room, which he illegally shared with two other guys called Skip Mick and Penkala, together they formed somewhat of a comedy trio. The other guys just about tolerated the situation, but often complained about the disruptive shenanigans happening in the overcrowded room (triple decker bunk beds are apparently not viable constructions and will collapse in the middle of the night). There was also George Luz, another person who wasn’t actually a legal tenant of the apartment, who regularly slept in the bath tub. He was one of the main jokers, full of hilarious one-liners and impressions that had Babe rolling around on the floor with laughter, which is probably why Bill allowed him to squat in their already fit-to-burst apartment. Some other guys from the football team also dropped by in the afternoon, the huge Bull Randelman, quarterback, who called Babe ‘boy’ and patted him on the back so hard he almost fell over and the tiny but energetic Perconte. Conversation soon turned to the neighbours as Bill, half exasperated and half proud, relayed the story of Babe’s abortive wild night.

The neighbours were kind of an enigma to the football guys. They were all medical students, and most of the boys knew Spina, who lived in one of the rooms, very well. He was a hard partier who got on well with the team and had helped set their knees a couple times. They privately divulged that they all thought he was going to drop out soon, the strain of medical school probably too much for someone so easy-going. There was also a pretty girl who lived there, Renee, and they barely saw her despite trying to introduce themselves countless times. She was French and spent most of her time at the University Hospital. She could be one of the guy’s girlfriends, but they weren’t really sure. They all knew of Eugene Roe, or ‘Doc’, as they had nicknamed him, as he had helped to treat a couple of them for football related injuries and was always polite when they met in the hall but no one really knew him personally. They explained that they liked him, he was a nice guy, a fantastically dedicated medical student (‘and a great accent, very cool accent’ piped up George Luz) but that he mostly kept to himself.

“To be honest Babe,” Explained Bill “’I’ve never heard him speak as much as when he told me you were at his.”

“What did he say?” Remarked a laughing Skip Muck. “Get this wasted ginger fuck outta my house?”

“Hey. There’s nothing wrong with being ginger.” Malarkey caught him with a pointy elbow.

“Shut up!” Babe hid his face in his arms. “I’m embarrassed enough as it is. I looked like such a fucking dick, man. He was really cool about it.”

“Doc is always cool.” Nodded Toye solemnly. “Remember when he patched up Skinny Sisk? Kept on tellin’ him he was fine and okay, although things looked pretty bad. He’s a really good guy. Spina told us he was a traiteur, like a Cajun witch doctor or somethin’”

“No shit!”

“Yeah shit. He’s got them ‘healing hands’”

“Bet you want them ‘healing hands’ all over you.”

“Fuck off, I ‘aint gay!”

“What about that time…”

“Shut up, shut up. I was wasted.”

“Hey, did I ever tell you guys about Babe’s ex Doris?”

“No! Bill, don’t you fucking dare!”

Amidst the bickering, George Luz, who had disappeared halfway through their conversation, re-emerged into the living room holding two large bags of clinking alcohol over his head like they were sacred objects.

“Stop all the gossip, ladies. I just got a text off Buck Compton, party at Nixon’s place.” He dispensed the alcohol among the guys. “We need to get started to get on his level.”

“Can’t we just drink Nixon’s booze?”

“Nah, don’t you remember he only drinks that Vat 69 shit.”

“Remember when Liebgott drank half a bottle and puked everywhere? Nixon was so pissed, Winters had to hold him back to stop him busting his jaw.”

“Liebgott is a crazy asshole, man. Is he out tonight? Hang on, I’ll text.”

“Webster says he’s in.”

“Skip, does Faye have any friends she can bring? I’m not going to another fucking sausage fest again. We need to hang out with more chicks, it’s getting weird.”

“You know what’s weird? Three guys sharing a room. Do you three-way spoon or some shit? What the fuck do you do when someone wants to get laid?”

“Go to her place, obviously.”

“What if you can’t?”

“Then we kick Luz out of the tub. Next question!”

Bill turned to look at Babe, rolling his eyes at the commotion fondly.

“Buncha’ fuckin’ animals” He remarked, slinging an arm around Babe’s shoulders. “Looks like we’re going to a party tonight kid. Your first college party, you feeling ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Bill grinned at him, ruffling his red hair.

“Make sure not to commit any crimes alright? No more home invasion, that shit is actually illegal.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good kid.”

Babe never could keep his word.

 

* * *

 

 

 _How did I manage to get here again_ , Babe thought as he scaled the apartment once more. He had been up at Lewis Nixon’s rather impressive apartment in the city centre, having a great time with all the guys when he had been struck by a drunken sense of urgency. There was something that he had to do, right at that minute and Babe was never one to deny himself an impulsive whim, especially after a couple shots of expensive whiskey. He had left, heading straight to an ATM to withdraw $30, and then walked the short distance to the apartment, swaying a little in the night breeze. Conscientious as always, he shot off a quick text to Bill, which read something like ‘yo gon bak 2 sort shit out am still alive not doing sumthin dumb no worryz c u soon’ and began to climb up the drainpipe again. When he reached the same window, he was greeted not by a slight gap and broken blinds, but by half a medical student, hanging out the window whilst smoking a cigarette. He was wearing that same half concerned, half amused look and appeared to have born witness to the entire alcohol fuelled ascent.

“Hello again.”

Babe clung onto the drainpipe and blinked dopily at Eugene, who was just staring back like watching a drunk kid climb a building for the second time in two days was a very normal thing for him. “You trying to get into Guarnere’s apartment again? You know this is the wrong one, yeah?”

Babe gulped. Eugene was wearing a singlet and had very pale shoulders, lit only by moonlight, streetlamps and the glow of his cigarette. His hair and eyes were almost blue in the darkness.

“You smoke? I thought you were like, a doctor.”

Babe was now clinging to the window ledge, uncomfortably close to Eugene. He could almost see the outline of his eyelashes.

“Where’d ya hear that?” Babe sort of shrugged, embarrassed that he sounded a bit like a stalker. “Everyone has their vices.” He was glanced out onto the street. “I don’t drink.” _So he can joke._ Eugene looked back at Babe and smiled slightly, crushing out his cigarette and offering him a hand. His grip was surprisingly strong as he helped Babe into the window. Dusting himself off and attempting to regain composure as Eugene closed the window, Babe tried to remember why he had come. He felt in his pocket and pulled out the $30 dollars, thrusting it towards Eugene.

“This is for the blinds.” Eugene squinted at him. “y’know, cuz I broke ‘em.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“Yeah, I did.” Eugene’s eyes crinkled.

“They were actually a lot more expensive than that.”

“Ah, shit. I’ll go get more.”

“No, no it’s okay. I was joking.” Eugene put the money down on the table somewhat reluctantly, then moved into the kitchen, leaving Babe standing rather aimlessly near the window. “You want coffee?”

Excited by the invitation, Babe sprung into action, following Eugene into the little kitchen area.

“Yeah, sure! I mean, if that’s okay.”

“Sho’ it’s okay. You like it black? Cuz that’s how I’m makin’ it.”

“Sounds great!” Eugene seemed surprised by his enthusiasm, raising an eyebrow as he brewed the coffee. He began speaking again without looking up from the pot.

“What’re you doin’ down in Louisiana?”

“Could you tell I wasn’t from around here? Haha! Well, I’m Bill’s friend from home. He invited me down and I thought it would be fun, change of scenery y’know? Plus I’m looking around the place, seeing how college people live so I know what to expect.” No response from Eugene, so Babe decided to persevere with his ramblings. “His friends have been really nice. You know them at all? Bill and Toye and stuff?”

“I know ‘em.”

“Yeah.” Change of tact. “So you’re a medical student?”

“As you’ve heard.” Babe flushed.

“Is it good? I mean, do you like it?” Eugene finished brewing the coffee and poured it into two mugs, passing one to Babe.

“Yeah, s’alright.”

“You’re good at looking after people.” Babe stumbled out, mortified by his words before they even left his mouth. “I mean, you looked after me and you don’t even know me! I could have been, like, a burgular. Here to steal all your shit.”  Eugene coughed a laugh around his coffee mug, which made Babe feel a bit warm and dizzy. _What? It was a good laugh._ He swallowed a big gulp of coffee to calm him down, scalding his tongue in the process.

“You didn’t look like much of a threat. Plus, I heard Guarnere mouthing off in the hall about some good for nothing kid coming to visit and figured it might be you.”

“I’m not a kid!” Eugene smiled over the rim of his mug, that nice small smile that was starting to turn Babe’s legs to jelly.

“Sho’ you ‘aint. Name like Babe.”

“It’s not my real name, obviously. My real name’s Edward. Edward Heffron.”

“Nice to meet you Edward.” Babe barked out a laugh, loud and abrasive in the silent kitchen.

“Seriously, don’t call me Edward. Only the nun’s call me Edward.” Babe shuddered at the thought of the severe, tight-lipped nuns at his convent elementary school. Eugene shrugged, amused and for some reason playing along. He was appeasing him and Babe really had no idea why. He was being nothing but a complete nuisance. “Am I bothering you? I can leave? Go chill at Bill’s or somethin’” 

“Nah, you ‘aint bothering. I’m just waiting ‘til next shift.”

“Cool, cool.” Babe nodded his head, looking around and groping for more conversation so he had a reason to hang around. “Your place is really nice. Very neat!”

“Ah, that’s all Renee. She’s clean as hell.”

“She your girlfriend?” The tips of Eugene’s mouth turned up as he placed his coffee mug in the sink.

“Nah.” His answer was short and succinct, so Babe decided not to pursue it any further.

“I haven’t got a girlfriend either.” He offered up awkwardly. “Well, I did but…haha you know how that shit goes!” Eugene smile-grimaced and Babe decided that once again he needed to change the topic before the other man threw him out of the apartment for being too irritating. He was prolonging his time, oddly entranced by the standoffish figure, so pale and light in a wife beater and blue scrub trousers, not unfriendly as such but unlike anyone he’d ever really met in his limited experience. “You’re from here?”

“Not here exactly, but down this way.”

“That’s cool! I bet it’s great to grow up here. See many crocs?” Another tiny smile, almost reluctant, like Babe was dragging it out of him. 

“A couple.”

“Man, Philly has no cool wild life. We have like, mangy street dogs and shit. That’s about it.”

“Sounds great.” A wry smile. Babe sighed deeply, a big grin on his face when he thought of home.

“It is!” His answer was entirely without irony. He genuinely loved Philadelphia. Seriously. Almost all of his clothes were Philly merchandised. He could feel Eugene staring at him, bemused, out of the corner of his eye.

Eugene was moving towards the couch that Babe had slept on the other night, sitting down casually. He looked up at Babe, shadowed eyes trapping him in place and silently inviting him to sit down too (at least that’s how Babe interpreted it, and he didn’t complain when he did). They watched TV mostly in silence, every now and again Babe asked Eugene a question or stated an opinion or a joke and Eugene would smile or offer up a short answer. Every time he smiled, it felt like a small victory. Babe never spent this long in silence with other people. He was used to loud-mouths, shouting and jeering over each other. He liked it. Eugene had such an air of calm about him. He wanted to get to know him better.

 

* * *

 

 

Babe didn’t even realise that he’d fallen asleep on that couch until he woke with a start, feeling robbed of the warmth that had been close during the night. On the coffee table was a small note that read ‘Edward- Told Guarnere where you were. Drink water. Eugene Roe.’ He could hear someone moving about behind him in the kitchen area and he turned his neck slowly, tracking the sounds. A good-looking girl was drinking what smelled like mint tea, leaning up against the counter and regarding him with interest.

“ _Bonjour_.” She had a strong French accent. The mysterious Renee.

“Hi.”

“You are Eugene’s friend, yes?” Babe scrubbed the back of his neck and laughed self-consciously.

“Not really! I’m just the annoying kid that keeps crashing at his place.” He motioned towards the blinds. “Quite literally. Sorry about that, I will pay. I’m friends with Bill, from next door.”

“Ah, yes, Edward? Gene mentioned it.” Babe supposed that Eugene had probably warned his roommates that there was a random red-headed kid zonked out on the couch again, maybe even voiced his exasperation.

“Call me Babe.”

“Pardon?” Her face was all screwed up in confusion, almost identical to Eugene’s.

“Never mind! Lovely to meet you. Thanks for letting me stay!” Suddenly flustered, Babe quickly grabbed the note and shuffled out to Bill’s place, picking up his shoes that had once again been carefully removed and padding into the hall in his socks, tail between his legs.

 

* * *

 

 

The guys ribbed him good and proper for spending the night next door again.

“What the fuck’s the matter with you Babe?”

“Let the poor guy get some rest.”

“You a stalker now?”

Babe just yelled belligerently that he was trying to pay him for his blinds but was too drunk and fell asleep again, which was mostly the truth.  He wasn’t really sure why he’d prolonged it so much. He was having a good time and Eugene seemed kind of glad to have company. He must be sort of lonely, maybe. However, the guys were probably right. He should leave Eugene alone. He only had another night left in Louisiana and he was wasting all this time pestering some poor dude who was just putting up with him out of concerned responsibility, like a kid with a crush, instead of spending it with Bill. He silently resolved not to annoy Eugene Roe by climbing up his drainpipe again.

 

* * *

 

Turns out he didn’t have to climb any buildings to annoy him.

So yes, Babe had been shouting rather loudly at the football game he went to watch with all the guys. Yes, maybe he had refused to stop. Yes, his answer had probably been ‘Make me, bitch’ when told to shut up, carried away with the excitement of the game. No, he probably shouldn’t have goaded the enormous hulking beast of a man who was sat in front of him. Did he deserve a bloody nose for his youthful exuberance? Definitely not.

“Jesus Christ, Babe.” Perconte exclaimed, dragging Babe back to the apartment. “Who knew you had so much fucking blood in you?”

Bill was swearing up a storm, vowing revenge and retribution for the injury and also chewing out a semi-conscious Babe for his idiocy, but his main concern was getting Babe back into the apartment to check out his nose. Babe was feeling pretty woozy, his favourite sweatshirt slightly spattered by blood. He hoped his Mom would be able to get it out. _She’s gonna be so pissed when she sees it._ They pulled Babe into the elevator, fussing over him, then into their place, settling him down on the couch and buzzing with harried action, bouncing around the apartment like ping-pong balls. Drowsiness was coming in waves but when Babe tried to calm everyone down, this wasn’t the worst beating he’d ever gotten (shit, his friends in the neighbourhood had probably done him over worse as a joke) he wasn’t sure what the hell was coming out of his mouth. Certainly not cohesive words.  An authoritative voice rang out among the kerfuffle.

“Don’t let him close his eyes.” He recognised the accent instantly and stared up into the pinched, pale face that was hanging above him.

“Sorry, Doc, he got hit in the face. Do you think he’s okay?” Bill was wringing his hands like an anxious mother. Babe snorted a laugh at the sight, which earned him death glares both from Bill and Eugene. Eugene gently touched his face, running slim fingers over his nose, brow furrowing.

“it ‘aint broken.” Bill carded a hand through his hair, breathing a loud sigh of relief.

“Thank God, his Ma would kill me if I let him get that face hurt.”

“Would be a damn shame.” Agreed Babe from his place on the couch.

“Shut up.” Replied both Eugene and Bill, almost in unison, with twin looks of extreme irritation. Eugene turned back to Bill, arms crossed. He was wearing his scrubs again, probably just got back from a shift. This was likely the last thing he needed. Babe wished that Bill hadn’t brought him over. It wasn’t that bad, nothing he couldn’t handle.

“He might be a little concussed. I’ll wait with him for a bit.”

“Thanks Doc, sorry he’s been such a nuisance for you these past days. Damn stupid kid.” Babe felt Eugene’s eyes sweep over him.

“S’okay.”  Bill moved away, clutching his phone.

“I’m gonna call the other guys, tell ‘em he’s okay. Then I’ll watch him and you can go. Thanks, Doc.”

“No problem.” Eugene’s lips were in firm line, his body taut and still. Babe craned his neck too look at him.

As soon as Bill left the room, phone in hand and relived laugh in the air, Eugene rounded on Babe with righteous fury.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” _Jesus Christ_ , thought Babe, _he is scary as hell when he’s angry_. “You’re not a kid, Edward, you’re a fucking adult. You can’t just do this shit. _Putain Idiote._ ”

“Sorry.” Babe replied in a tiny weak voice, cowed by Eugene’s anger. Eugene breathed out heavily, evidently calming down.

“Just…don’t get into fights, alright?”

“I won’t.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky.”  Babe held up his smallest finger. Muttering ‘smartass’ Eugene rubbed at his face with his hands, a very, very small smile just about detectable.

“ _Pour l’amour de Dieux._ You need someone to keep an eye on you at all times, huh?”

“Nah.”

“Sure, Babe.” Bill came back into the room and shot Eugene a quick smile.

“He concussed?”

“No, think he’ll be fine.”

“Great, thanks Doc.” Eugene stared at Babe, a smile in the corner of his mouth. He then turned and edged out of the room, quick and silent as ever. “See you around.” Called Bill before turning back to his injured friend, shaking his head. Babe’s eyes rested on the spot where Eugene was standing before focusing once again on Bill.

“Nice guy.” Bill remarked to nobody in particular.

_Nice guy. Nice voice, nice laugh. Called me Babe._

Babe went home to Philadelphia the next day with about 10 new friends (college guys, very cool) beseeching him to visit again, a note and a lightly bloodied sweatshirt hidden in the bottom of his duffle so his Mom wouldn’t see.

Eugene Roe wakes up in the evening to go for a smoke and finds a note with a phone number and the word ‘Babe’ written on a piece of paper, wedged just underneath the window. He smiles.

 

* * *

 

 

**EPILOGUE**

 

Bill stood in his doorway stunned. There he was, his favourite ginger friend (don’t tell Malarkey) in all his South Philly, Eagles shirt wearing glory in his hall once more, a backwards cap resting on his head and a great big grin on his face. He had no idea he’d be back in Louisiana today, despite facebooking and emailing him constantly. One hell of a surprise to brighten his otherwise dull morning.

“No shit! Babe, what the hell you doin’ here already?” Enrolments weren’t for another week.

“I got here early, to set up and shit!”

“Fuck! I gotta tell the boys!” He turned around excitedly to shout into their messy apartment. “Hey, guys! Babe’s back!” He was met with silence. “Ah shit, they went to the store didn’t they?” For some reason the boys of the apartment had a real penchant for grocery shopping. They loved it. He swung back around to Babe.

“Sorry man, they’ll be back in a bit.” Looking at Babe, he took a couple things in. One was that he was taller, which meant that he now towered over Bill. Asshole. Another was that he was wearing weird, purple socks with his Nikes. The third was that he was surrounded by two large boxes and a bulging suitcase. Babe smiled nervously.

_Wait a goddamned minute._

Son of a bitch.

“I know what you’re fucking doing Babe.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you come here all puppy eyes and think you can just move your shit in with me.”

“What?”

“You know damn well we have too many people living in this place! Luz lives in the bath tub, for fucks sake, that little shit won’t leave!”

“Ah-“

“There are three fucking people in Malarkey’s room! Three! Three annoying motherfuckers who do nothing but smoke weed and crack jokes all night!”

“I-“

“We go through about four loaves of bread a day! Can you believe that? How many sandwiches can six men eat?”

“No-“

“I will not let you sleep on my floor all year! A man has needs you know. Needs!”

The door next to Bill’s slowly opened as he panted from the exertion of his rant. Doc Roe, looking peaky as usual with his spiky black hair, peeped out at them like an animal. He nodded in greeting at Bill like he always did when they ran into each other. Roe then glanced at Babe, a small smile on his face, which, considering his usual expression of extreme consternation probably meant he was ecstatic. Babe flashed him a huge, dopey, toothy grin, his cheeks going a little pink.

“Bill,” Babe said slowly in the same tone you would use when talking to a child, _the fucking nerve of that kid_ , “I’m not trying to move in with you.”

Doc Roe frowned slightly at Bill, then silently picked up a box from the floor and carried it into his apartment.

Babe sure had a lot of explaining to do.

**Author's Note:**

> this is very self indulgent. also, probably inaccurate concerning university situation. that aside, enjoy!


End file.
